Games,+Songs,+and+Media+Center+Fun

= Games, Songs, and Media Center Fun =

Share fun activity ideas. Do you have a song, dance, skit, etc. that helps students remember a concept?

** Skill: Vocabulary **

 * Swat-It**. Make index cards with vocabulary terms, write the words on a white board, or create an interactive whiteboard file to post them on the board. Procure two (preferably unused) flyswatters. Divide students into two teams. One student from each team goes to the board with their flyswatter and stands with their back to the board. The teacher reads a clue to describe the vocabulary term. When the teacher says "go", the two students may turn around and begin to search for the vocabulary word that best matches the teacher's description. When a student finds the word, s/he touches the word with the flyswatter. The first team to find the word earns a point. Then, the next person from each team gets to take a turn at the board. The team with the most points is the winner. Here are some tips for keeping the game civil. A student can lose points for their team if (a) they are not quiet, (b) for "showboating" (gloating), or (c) other bad behavior that you determine. The players "up at bat" cannot turn around to hunt for the word until the teacher says "go". This allows everyone to hear the entire clue and maybe review a term that students have forgotten (which is the point in the game). I have used this game successfully with students in grades 2-5.